Printing-telegraph.



No. 743,948. PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903.

W. S. STELJES.

PRINTING TELEGRAPH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1903.

i'atented November 10, 1903.

U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER SAMUEL srELJEs, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

PRlNTlNG-TELEG RAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters ?atent No. 743,948, dated November 10, 1903.

Application filed May 12, 1903. Serial No. 15 6,807. .(No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WALTER SAMUEL STEL- JES, asubjectof the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at London, England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Printing-Telegraphs, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to type-writing telegraph-receiving instruments; and it consists in an improved device for moving longitudinally upon its spindle and for holding in its required position a type-wheel having two or more annular series of letters, numerals, or signs upon its periphery, so as to bring any required annular ring of letters, signs, or numerals: into the desired position for printing and to retain the wheel in such position against accidental disturbance with a minimum amount of effort by the operative mechanism to effect such movement and with the least tendency to disturb the plane of the wheel.

In type-writing telegraph-receiving instruments it is usual to utilize a movement of the printing-lever (without effecting printing by reason of a blank in the periphery of the typeis obvious that various alternative changesof position of the type-wheel, which may thus be provided with multiple annular series of letters, numerals, or signs, maybe effected by providing a corresponding number of change keys at various points of the trans mitter-dial.

It is of importance to the operation of the receiver under as minute electrical currents of transmission as possible that the operation of the longitudinal movement of the type-' wheel upon its spindle by the movement of the printing-lever and its ultimate retention in the. required position against accidental disturbance shall be efiected with as small a movement of the printing-lever as possible and with the least possible frictional resistance either during the longitudinal movement of the wheel upon its spindle or during after-retention in position while the wheel is revolving with its spindle.

' The present invention, of which the following is description, has been devised to realize these desiderata.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the type-wheel spindle of a type-writing telegraph-receiving instrument with my improved type-wheelshiftin g gear applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are two views in plan and elevation of a modified arrangement of the holding device when the wheel has been shifted.

Z) is the usual spindle in a type-writing receiving-telegraph instrument fluted so as to carry a type wheel 0 with free longitudinal motion upon the said spindle, but revolving with the said spindle under the control of step-by-step wheels I), so as to be set at any required position for the printing of a particular sign, letter, or mark in manner wellknown. The wheel cis provided with two rings of letters, numerals, or signs to effect the printing, from either of which the wheel must be moved longitudinally on the spindle.

A flat pin a is provided traversing a slot in the spindle b of the typerwheel c, and thus projecting vertically from the spindle on either side. This flat'pin is situated exactly over a suitable projection (Z on the printing-lever e, so that the said pin a is moved in one direction or the other perpendicularly to the spindle, according to whether the type-wheel is set by the transmitter with one end or the other end of the said pin a pointing downward toward the uprising printing -1ever e. The said Vertically-sliding spindle-pin a is pivoted to the short end of a bell-crankf, having its fulcrum in a short bracket g on the said spindle h, the longer arm of the said bell-crank f also passing through a slot in the spindle b, so that the end of the longer arm of the bell-crank is still situated close to the hub of the type-wheel c, to which itis conneeted by a pivoted link 7i. The thrust or pull of-such link It to produce longitudinal movement ofthe type'wheel' 0 upon itsspindle h is therefore close to the axis of motion and tends as little as possible to cant'the typewheel 0, and therefore obtains the resulting movement with least frictional resistance within the hub of the type-wheel. This arrangeinent provides for two distinct and positive longitudinal movements of the typewheel upon its spindle backward and forward without the resistance of any reacting spring, according to whether the type-wheel is set at alternative ends of one diameter over the printing anvil-roller 7t and the printinglever e.

In order to determine with no frictional resistance to the normal rotation of the type- Wheel and its spindle together a stable position of the type-wheel against accidental disturbance in either of its alternative longitudinal positions relative to the printing-line Z, the following device is employed: Upon the spindlev b is riveted a long delicate fiat spring m, having an antifriction-roller n at its free end normally resting upon a flat place on the hub of the type-wheel c. The hub is provided with a short projecting pin or cone-stud 19, directly in the line of the longitudinal travel of the hub under the roller end of said fixed spring m. The type -wheel, therefore, to change its position either way longitudinally on the spindle lifts the roller end of the spring m by the said cone-stud 19 passing under it, and the position of stable rest is when the cone-stud is on either side of the springroller between the collar q and the bracket 9 on the spindle as limits of extreme travel. The cone stud therefore checks any accidental tendency of the type -wheel to move from its required position under vibration and yet does not oifer any frictional resistance to the rotation of the type-wheel with the spindle, nor does it tend in any way to put a cant onto the type-wheel when the latter is at rest for printing purposes. An equivalent but modified form of detent is shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The spring on terminates in a projecting nose 1), and the roller n is fixed to the hub e of the type-wheel, the nose p of the spring on thus passing under the fixed roller n instead of the latter being affixed to the end of the spring.

Although the device has been described as effecting only one backward and forward positive longitudinal motion of the type-wheel upon its spindle, it is obvious that by multiplication of the operating device at different angles upon the spindle and by providing a series of cone-studs under the detainingspring a series of successive longitudinal movements forward and backward of a disk with multiple annularseries of letters, signs, or numerals can be obtained.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a type-writing telegraph-receiving instrument, in combination, a spindle adapted to carry a type-wheel free to move longitudinally on said spindle but revolving therewith an oscillating printing-lever; a flat pin extending transversely to the spindle through a slot therein, in position to contact with the ascending printing-lever; a bell-crank, pivoted to said transverse pin, fulcrumed upon the spindle and having its longer arm passing by a slot through the said spindle; a connecting pivoted link between the longer end of the said bell-crank and the hub of the type-wheel; and means for the arrest of the type-wheel after its longitudinal movement against jar or vibration.

2. In a type-writing telegraph-receiving instrument in combination aspindle adapted to carry atype-wheel free to movelongitudinally on the said spindle but revolving therewith; an oscillating printing-lever; means for shifting the said type-wheel longitudinally on the said spindle by the action of the rising printing-lever; a flat spring affixed at one end to the type-wheel spindle; and aroller and cone projection carried upon the free end of the spring and the hub of the type-wheel, respectively, the coned projection being adapted to pass under the roller from side to side, as the wheel moves longitudinally on its spindle.

3. In a type-writing telegraph-receiving instrument in combination, a spindle adapted to carry a type-wheel free to move longitudinally thereon but revolving therewith; an oscillating printing-lever; means for shifting the said type-wheel longitudinally on the said spindle by the action of the rising printing-lever; a fiat spring affixed at one end to the type-wheel spindle, having a cone projection at its free end; and a roller carried 011 the type-wheel hub adapted to pass over the said cone projection from side to side as the wheel moves longitudinally on its spindle.

4. In a typewritin g telegraph-receiving instrumentin combination, a spindle adapted to carry a type-wheel free to move longitudinally thereon but revolving therewith; an oscillating printing-lever; a flat pin extending transversely to the spindle through a slot therein, in position to contact with the ascending printing-lever; a bell-crank pivoted to said transverse pin, fulcru med upon the spindle and havin g i ts longerarm passing by a slot through the said spindle; a connecting pivoted link between the longer end of the said bell-crank and the hub of the type-wheel; a flat spring afi'ixed at one end to the type-wheel spindle, having a cone projection at its free end; and a roller carried on the wheel-hub adapted to pass over the said cone projection from side to side, as the wheel moves longitudinally on its spindle.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER SAMUEL STELJES.

\Vitnesses:

RICHARD A. I'IOFFMANN, CHARLES CARTER. 

